Ventolin

Ventolin is an inhaler used to manage asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It first became available in the EU in 1969 and has since become one of the most commonly prescribed inhalers.

It is a reliever inhaler, which means you use it when your asthma symptoms feel worse. It works by quickly opening the airways to relieve symptoms. It starts working in 10-15 minutes. You must also use your preventer inhaler daily to help manage your asthma.

Ventolin inhalers are available in two forms: an aerosol (Ventolin Evohaler) or a dry-powder inhaler (Ventolin Accuhaler).

Ventolin and Salamol are two different brands of inhalers that both contain the active ingredient Salbutamol. Salbutamol is also available as a generic.

Ventolin inhalers contain Salbutamol. It is a type of medicine called a short-acting bronchodilator (SABA).

Asthma symptoms are caused by your airways becoming inflamed and restricted. Ventolin therefore works by relaxing the muscles of the airways in the lungs to relieve symptoms such as coughing, wheezing and breathlessness.

Blue ventolin inhalers also help to prevent and treat asthma attacks. It stops the airways from getting too tight so that it becomes hard to breathe.

Studies have shown that Ventolin is an effective and fast-acting asthma treatment.

• Fast-acting - Ventolin starts to work in 10-15 minutes, offering quick relief for asthma symptoms.
• Effective - One clinical trial found that patients on Ventolin had significantly improved breathing compared to other reliever inhalers.
• Long-lasting - Ventolin remains effective for 4-6 hours after using it, providing prolonged relief of asthma symptoms.

You should start to notice improvements in your symptoms in 10-15 minutes. The medicine is most effective 30 minutes after using it.

If you notice that Ventolin is not helping your symptoms, then you should seek emergency medical assistance.

Ventolin is safe to take for most adults with asthma or COPD.

Some people should consult their doctor before using Ventolin. This is because they may be at a higher risk of side effects. This includes people who:

• have an arrhythmia (an irregular heart rhythm)
• have cardiovascular disease
• have diabetes
• have high blood pressure
• have hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid gland)
• have hypokalaemia (low potassium levels)
• take theophylline (an oral asthma treatment)
• take diuretics (water tablets)

If you have any other medical condition or take any other medicine, you should consult your doctor before using Ventolin.

Ventolin is available as 100 mcg (Evohaler) and 200 mcg (Accuhaler) doses per puff or inhalation. How much you need to take depends on the situation, your specific treatment plan & instructions from your doctor.

Usually, you will take 1 or 2 puffs to relieve asthma symptoms. You can use Ventolin up to 4 times in 24 hours.

During an asthma attack, you may take up to 10 puffs. If Ventolin is not helping, seek emergency medical attention as soon as possible.

You may also use Ventolin to prevent asthma symptoms before exercising. Take 1-2 puffs 15 minutes before you plan to exercise.

You must use Ventolin correctly. You should also follow the asthma action plan from your doctor to reduce the risk of asthma attacks.

If you are not sure how to use your inhaler, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice. You may want to practice in front of the mirror the first few times.

How to use Ventolin Evohaler
	Sit upright and shake the inhaler 4-5 times. Hold the inhaler upright with your thumb on the base.
	Breathe out as far as is comfortable; do not breathe in yet.
	Place the mouthpiece in your mouth between your teeth and close your lips around it. Breathe in through your mouth. Just after starting to breathe in, press down on the top of the canister to release a puff of the medicine.
	Keep breathing in steadily and deeply. Hold your breath and take the inhaler from your mouth. Continue holding your breath for as long as it is comfortable. If you have to take another puff, wait 30 seconds and repeat steps 2-7.

How to Use Ventolin Accuhaler
	Open the Accuhaler by pushing down on the thumb grip away from you as far as it will go. You should hear a click. This will open a small hole in the mouthpiece. Hold the Accuhaler with the mouthpiece towards you. Slide the lever away from you as far as it will go. This places a dose of the medicine in the mouthpiece.
	Hold the Accuhaler away from your mouth, breathe out as far as is comfortable. Do not breathe in again yet.
	Put the mouthpiece to your lips. Breathe in steadily and deeply through the Accuhaler with your mouth (not through your nose)
	Remove the Accuhaler from your mouth. Hold your breath for about 10 seconds or for as long as it's comfortable. Then, breathe out slowly. To close the Accuhaler, slide the thumbgrip back towards you as far as it will go. You will hear a click. The lever will return to its original position and will be reset.

Ventolin Accuhalers have a dose counter on the top that tells you how many doses are left. It counts down to 0. If the counter shows 0, your inhaler is empty.

It's harder to tell when Ventolin Evohalers are empty. An empty Evohaler may still “puff”, so it is hard to tell whether there is any medicine left. You should keep track of how many doses you have used.

Like all prescription medicines, Ventolin may cause side effects. The most common side effects should go away on their own once your body gets used to the medicine.

Common side effects (up to 1 in 10 people):

• headache
• muscle cramps
• heart palpitations
• tremor (shaking)
• arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat)

Speak to your doctor as soon as possible if you experience any persistent or serious side effects.

For a full list of side effects, please refer to the patient information leaflet (PIL).

No, Ventolin inhalers are not available without a prescription. Our doctors will only prescribe treatment if you meet the criteria in your online consultation.

A prescription from a trusted healthcare provider like 121doc ensures:

• safety during treatment
• effective results
• monitoring of side effects